ACLS PRACTICE EXAM
Questions and Answers
1.You find an unresponsive pt. who is not breathing. After activating the
emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse. What is
your next action?
ANS Start chest compressions of at least 100 per min.
2.You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood pressure
is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored respiratory rate is
14 breaths/min, and the pulse oximetry reading is 97%. What assessment
step is most important now?
ANS Obtaining a 12 lead ECG.
3.What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during
cardiac arrest in most pts?
ANS Peripheral IV
4.An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step?
ANS Begin chest compressions.
5.You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor displays the
lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another member of your
team resumes chest compressions, and an IV is in place. What
management step is your next priority?
ANS Administer 1mg of epinephrine
6.During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the monitor.
The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
ANS Resume compressions
,7.What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest
manage- ment?
ANS Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions.
8.Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions?
ANS Allowing complete chest recoil
9.Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of
ventricular fibrillation?
ANS Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation
attempt.
10.Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity?
ANS Sinus rythm without a pulse
11.What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a
patient with an advanced airway in place?
ANS Provide continuous chest compressions without pauses and 10
ventilations per minute.
12.Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest, one member of your
team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs continuous chest
compressions. During subsequent ventilation, you notice the presence of a
waveform on the capnography screen and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg.
What is the significance of this finding?
ANS Chest compressions may not be effective.
13.The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients
ANS allows for mon- itoring of CPR quality.
14.For the past 25 minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of a
patient who originally presented in ventricular fibrillation. After the first
shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted despite 2
, doses of
epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. What is your next treatment?
ANS Consider terminating resuscitive efforts after consulting medical
control.
15.Which is a safe and effective practice within the defibrillation sequence?-
ANS Be sure oxygen is not blowing over the patient's chest during the
shock.
16.During your assessment, your patient suddenly loses consciousness.
After calling for help and determining that the patient is not breathing, you
are unsure whether the patient has a pulse. What is your next action?
ANS Begin chest compressions.
17.What is an advantage of using hands-free defibrillation pads instead
of defibrillation paddles?
ANS Hands-free pads allow for a more rapid defibrillation.
18.What action is recommended to help minimize interruptions in chest
com- pressions during CPR?
ANS Continue CPR while charging the defibrillator.
19.Which action is included in the BLS survey?
ANS Early defibrillation
20.Which drug and dose are recommended for the management of a
patient in refractory ventricular fibrillation?
ANS Amioderone 300mg
21.What is the appropriate interval for an interruption in chest
Questions and Answers
1.You find an unresponsive pt. who is not breathing. After activating the
emergency response system, you determine there is no pulse. What is
your next action?
ANS Start chest compressions of at least 100 per min.
2.You are evaluating a 58-year-old man with chest pain. The blood pressure
is 92/50 mm Hg, the heart rate is 92/min, the nonlabored respiratory rate is
14 breaths/min, and the pulse oximetry reading is 97%. What assessment
step is most important now?
ANS Obtaining a 12 lead ECG.
3.What is the preferred method of access for epi administration during
cardiac arrest in most pts?
ANS Peripheral IV
4.An AED does not promptly analyze a rythm. What is your next step?
ANS Begin chest compressions.
5.You have completed 2 minutes of CPR. The ECG monitor displays the
lead II rhythm below, and the patient has no pulse. Another member of your
team resumes chest compressions, and an IV is in place. What
management step is your next priority?
ANS Administer 1mg of epinephrine
6.During a pause in CPR, you see this lead II ECG rhythm on the monitor.
The patient has no pulse. What is the next action?
ANS Resume compressions
,7.What is a common but sometimes fatal mistake in cardiac arrest
manage- ment?
ANS Prolonged interruptions in chest compressions.
8.Which action is a componant of high-quality chest comressions?
ANS Allowing complete chest recoil
9.Which action increases the chance of successful conversion of
ventricular fibrillation?
ANS Providing quality compressions immediately before a defibrillation
attempt.
10.Which situation BEST describes pulseless electrical activity?
ANS Sinus rythm without a pulse
11.What is the BEST strategy for performing high-quality CPR on a
patient with an advanced airway in place?
ANS Provide continuous chest compressions without pauses and 10
ventilations per minute.
12.Three minutes after witnessing a cardiac arrest, one member of your
team inserts an endotracheal tube while another performs continuous chest
compressions. During subsequent ventilation, you notice the presence of a
waveform on the capnography screen and a PETCO2 level of 8 mm Hg.
What is the significance of this finding?
ANS Chest compressions may not be effective.
13.The use of quantitative capnography in intubated patients
ANS allows for mon- itoring of CPR quality.
14.For the past 25 minutes, an EMS crew has attempted resuscitation of a
patient who originally presented in ventricular fibrillation. After the first
shock, the ECG screen displayed asystole, which has persisted despite 2
, doses of
epinephrine, a fluid bolus, and high-quality CPR. What is your next treatment?
ANS Consider terminating resuscitive efforts after consulting medical
control.
15.Which is a safe and effective practice within the defibrillation sequence?-
ANS Be sure oxygen is not blowing over the patient's chest during the
shock.
16.During your assessment, your patient suddenly loses consciousness.
After calling for help and determining that the patient is not breathing, you
are unsure whether the patient has a pulse. What is your next action?
ANS Begin chest compressions.
17.What is an advantage of using hands-free defibrillation pads instead
of defibrillation paddles?
ANS Hands-free pads allow for a more rapid defibrillation.
18.What action is recommended to help minimize interruptions in chest
com- pressions during CPR?
ANS Continue CPR while charging the defibrillator.
19.Which action is included in the BLS survey?
ANS Early defibrillation
20.Which drug and dose are recommended for the management of a
patient in refractory ventricular fibrillation?
ANS Amioderone 300mg
21.What is the appropriate interval for an interruption in chest
